Friday, March 28, 2014

As many of you know by now, we have arrived back in the states for our scheduled time of home service from March through August of this year. We have already given a report to our home church (Cornerstone Baptist of Roseville, MI) and will be busy over the next four months visiting our supporting churches as well as speaking in some churches who have expressed an interest in the Gospel to the Russian-speaking world. While we are very happy to be reconnecting with family and friends, our hearts remain in Kiev where the drama between Ukraine and Russia continues. Russia has already annexed the southern (and strategic) peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine. As you listen to news coverage from Ukraine, there is much speculation and fear that Russia's intentions could go well beyond Crimea, perhaps even reshaping the boundaries of Eastern Europe in order to restore Russia's former hegemony enjoyed during Soviet times.

But even as the world watches and waits, there are other stories unfolding - stories that remind us that the conflict is not simply between Russia and Ukraine or even East vs.West. The real conflict is between between the Kingdom of Man and the Kingdom of God. This conflict is as old as Genesis 3 and will one day conclude when King Jesus returns (as John describes in the Book of the Revelation). Meanwhile, the victory over the ultimate enemy (sin and death) has already been won by Christ through His cross work and resurrection. And His story continues to echo through the lives of those who have experienced His life transforming power. One such example can be found in an amazing story of a man who was brutally abused by pro-government security forces who thought they were silencing a protester, but who in fact provided an opportunity for an eloquent and powerful witness for the Gospel. Read about it and be amazed in the link below. Then, keep praying that God would give believers (like Mykhailo) an ever increasing understanding of His grace so that they can display His power and love to those who live in darkness.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Many of you have been expressing growing
concern about our safety as you have read about or watched the recent media
coverage of the anti-government protest movement on Independence Square in
downtown Kiev. Out of concern for the well-being of our Ukrainian ministry
partners (and for our personal protection), we were asked not to make any
explicit references to the ongoing demonstrations. Hence, we simply sent out
brief messages from time-to-time requesting prayer for Ukraine and assuring you
of our safety. At this time, we have
been advised that it is safe to provide additional information about this
ongoing, historical development along with some personal observations.

Although the following words and phrases cannot
fully explain what has happened. they provide a vivid summary of the recent events of the past few weeks: Peaceful protest; brutal crackdown; journalist
murdered; kidnappings; snipers; Molotov cocktails; barricades; rising death
tolls; beatings; arson; stun grenades; medic shot; truce; slaughter; mourning for the dead, yet an undying resolve for a better country; tenuous political settlement; unknown whereabouts of
president; restoration of 2004 constitution; removal of president; new
government; collapsing currency; uncertain future.

All of this has been going on less than 10
miles away from where we live and serve in Kiev. While we have never felt that
we were in any immediate personal danger, it has constantly been on our minds
and in our prayers. Our hearts ache for the families of the more than 75 people
(including protesters and police) who have lost their lives since the protest
began back in November. Over half of the fatalities have occurred in just the
past 5 days.

With the recent change of government, there is
a sense of hope for the future. But that hope is threatened by the
sobering realization that it is easier to topple a bad government than it is to
establish a good one. Especially when there are so many challenges to overcome:
1) a nearly bankrupt economy (largely due
to the systemic corruption of this and preceding governments); 2) a country
that is divided by ethnic Ukrainians (in the center and west) who prefer a
closer relationship to Europe, and
ethnic Russians (in the south and east) who want to maintain historic ties to Moscow; 3) a geopolitical
tug-of-war between larger powers for control of the energy pipelines across
Ukraine that connect Eurasia to Europe.

Unquestionably the most important development in
the midst of all this is how our Sovereign God is working through these
situations to advance His Kingdom. We have heard of numerous opportunities where
believers have been able to share the Gospel with fellow Ukrainians who have
been sobered and even frightened by these recent events. I even had a young
Ukrainian man approach me yesterday in order to find out if I knew God and if I
understood why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to earth. I was so blessed to see
his urgency to “make the most of this
opportunity” for the advancement of the Gospel (Eph. 5:16).

So please continue to pray:

1.Pray
not simply for political change, but for change in the hearts of people that comes
only through the Gospel. As one missionary friend put it: “God's love and forgiveness is desperately needed to heal the
wounds of this nation.”

2.Pray for stability and peace in a nation whose current sense
of calm is fragile and could easily lapse back into infighting and conflict.
Pray that God would raise up a leader with wisdom and integrity. This is has
been deeply lacking and has greatly contributed to the present conflict.

3.Pray for believers—that the church would step up like never
before and be the church that Jesus has called her to be: Passionate for Jesus and His glorious Gospel above all else!

4.Pray for our safety and effectiveness this last month before
our home service begins on March 26.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

We have an exciting announcement. By God's grace and through a providentially arranged partnership with a small but strategic Christian publishing ministry in Ukraine, an important book has finally been published for churches in the Russian-speaking world, The Trellis and the Vine, by authors Colin Marshall and Tony Payne (Matthias Media). This book persuasively calls pastors to pursue the heart of authentic ministry, namely biblical shepherding. It offers a counter-intuitive model in a culture that has been shaped by a top-down model of leadership and which desperately needs to see an example that reflects the self-sacrificing love of our Chief-Shepherd. Using the metaphor of a trellis (which is designed to support vines) it shows how easy it is to drift from focusing on vine growth (growing people and developing leaders) to simply maintaining the trellis (using people to run programs). It then proceeds to lay out a plan that actually explains what it looks like for a church to be pursuing and experiencing what the Apostle Paul describes in Ephesians 4:11-16: authentic Gospel growth. Please pray that God will use this book to help pastors become more intentional in "hands on" discipleship resulting in stronger churches with a compelling witness and a passion for missions to the unreached peoples of the former Soviet Union.

Thank you for your prayers for this publication and for those of you who helped to make it possible by your contributions. Our next project for which you can be praying is the Gospel tract, "Two Ways to Live" (also by Matthias Media). We hope to see it completed by March or April.

Our Photo Albums

Prayer Requests

Pray for Jerry as he prepares to teach two classes at Kiev Theological Seminary: 1.From October 7-11, he will be teaching the first year Pastoral Leadership students in Introduction to Pastoral Leadership. 2. From October 21 to November 1, he will be teaching Biblical Counseling along with co-teacher, David King.

Our children - 1) Jeremy and Michelle –Jeremy and Michelle as they balance family and ministry responsibilities 2) Joel and Rachel who were recently married! And for Joel as he continues to pursue a seminary degree at Southern Baptist Seminary. 3) Karissa – As she completes her final year of elementary education at Boyce College.

For Kellie as she ministers to fellow missionaries in support roles, as she disciples women, and as she works again with an ESL (English as a second language) ministry.

Praises

We are getting closer to the completion of two strategic tools (from Matthias Media) that are being translated into Russian: 1. A book, The Trellis and the Vine. 2. The Gospel tract, "Two Ways to Live."

Our faithful partners in the Gospel who make it possible for us to be here through your prayers and support.